Now that I've discovered trifle, I've been having fun dreaming up all sorts of different flavour combinations. I haven't had a chance to try most of them yet, but I did make some gingerbread on the weekend, so I figured I'd give my gingerbread trifle idea a whirl. So, instead of sponge filled with raspberry jam, I had gingerbread filled with chopped stem ginger and ginger syrup. The raspberries got swapped out for sweet cherries. The plain vanilla custard became eggnog custard. I stuck to the standard whipped cream on top. Although I did add vanilla and icing sugar, so I guess it was technically "cream chantilly". And, to top it all off, a few glacé cherries and some chopped crystallized ginger. All-in-all, I'd say it was a pretty pleasing effect!

Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sticky gingerbread
• 3-4 knobs stem ginger, chopped + 1-2 Tbsp. ginger syrup
• 3 c. fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• 1/2 c. custard powder
• 6 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 c. milk
• 2 Tbsp. rum
• 500mL heavy (35%) cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. icing sugar
• Glacé cherries, to garnish
• Crystallized ginger, chopped, to garnish

Directions

1. Split the gingerbread and fill it with stem ginger and ginger syrup.
2. Cut into cubes.
3. Cover the bottom of the serving dish with cake cubes.
4. Top the cake with half the cherries.
5. Combine the custard powder, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a pot.
6. Add a small amount of milk and whisk until smooth.
7. Whisk in rum and remaining milk.
8. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
9. Pour half of custard over cake and cherries.
10. Layer remaining cake into bowl on top of custard and top with remaining cherries.
11. Pour remaining custard over, cover, and place in fridge until chilled.
12. Combine cream, vanilla, and icing sugar in a blender.
13. Blend on high setting until cream is stiff and spreadable.
14. Spread cream over top of trifle.
15. Garnish with glacé cherries and crystallized ginger as desired.